Steam-turbine.



No. 782,836. PATENTBD FEB. 21, 1905. P. W. PLINT.

STEAM TURBINB.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1a, 1904.

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5l/virtuous UNITED STATES Patented February 21, 1905.

PATENT. OFFICE.

FREDERICK W. FLINT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO CHARLES M. GATES, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

STEAM-TURBINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 782,836, dated February 21, 1905.

Application filed June 13, 1904. Serial No. 212,368.

T0 all whom, it may concern.'

Be it known that I, FREDERTCK W. FLINT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam-Turbines; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and eX- act description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in steam-turbines or rotary engines of the impact type.

TheY object of the invention is to provide an engine of this character which will be simple in construction, light-running, and reversible, means being provided by which the force of the steam is utilized repeatedly until eX- hausted.

l/Vith this and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination,and arrangement of parts, as will be more fully described, andparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

ln the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the engine-casing, showing the piston in side elevation. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view through the engine-casing and cylinder. Fig. 3 is a similar view taken on a different plane. Fig. 4 is a rear end elevation of the casing, showing the shaft in section; and Figs. 5 and 6 are inside plan views of the walls or casing forming the upper and lower steam-spaces and showing the arrangement of the compartments and passages for conducting steam from one piston-chamber to the next.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 denotes the base, upon which is mounted a cylindrical shell or casing 2, closed at its ends by heads 3. l

Through the cylinder is disposed a concentrically-arranged shaft 4, the outer ends of which are journaled in pillow-blocks 5,secured to the base l, as shown. On one end of the shaft is fixed a drive Wheel or pulley 6.

On the shaft il, within the casing 2, is mounted a concentrically-disposed cylindrical piston 7 which consists ofa central core or body portion 8, which may be solid or hollow in construction, as desired, but which is here shown as solid. On theperiphery of the cylinder are arranged a series of annular flanges or ribs 9, which divide the space between the outer surface of the cylinder and the inner surface or wall of the shell or casing 2 into a series of annular chambers or compartments 10, which increase in width from the inlet end to the eX- haust end of the engine, as shown.

In the inner wall of the shell or casing, at the points engaged by the annular flanges or ribs 9, are formed annular recesses 12, in which are disposed packing-rings 13, which form a steam-tight engagement between the lianges 9 and the inner wall of the casing.

On the surface of the cylinder, between the iianges or ribs and in each of the chambers l0, are formed a series of radially-disposed blades or wings 14, which are spaced equidistantly apart entirely around the core of the piston, formingsteam-pockets. or wings 14 around the core are wider or thicker than the others, and in the edges of such blades are formed recesses, in which are arranged packing-strips 15, which have a steam-tight engagement with the inner wall of the casing. Said strips are here shown as arranged in every third blade or wing; butit is obvious that they may be arranged closer together or farther apart, as desired.

At one end of the cylinder, on the upper side of the same, is arranged a steam-chest 16, in which is mounted a rotary plug-valve 17, in which is formed an inlet-passage 18. Above the valve the steam-chest is provided with an inlet-port 19, and below the valve is arranged inclined ports or passages 2O and 2l, which communicate with the interior of lthe casing at opposite sides of the piston, as shown.

The valve 17 is provided with a stem 22, the ends of which project through the sides of the steam-chest, and on one of said ends is secured a handle 23, by which said valve may be turned'to direct the steam fromthe inletport 19 to either of the steam-passages 20 or 21 to cause the piston to be driven in one direction or the other, as will be understood.

Certain ofthe blades v On the upper side otl the cylindrical shell or casing 2 is arranged a wall 24, which, together with the upper side otl the wall of the casing, forms a crescent-shaped space 25, said space being divided by partitions into steamcompartments 26, which compartments are disposed above and in line with each alternate annular chamber 10 of the cylindrical piston .7 and are in communication with said chamber through a port 27, formed in the wall of the casing 2.

From each end o'l the compartments 26 extend rearwardly and downwardly disposed passages 23 and 23, which communicate with ports 29 and 30, formed in each side of the casing 2. Said ports open into the chambers 10 of said piston, which alternate with or lie between the chambers with which the ports 27 communicate, thereby permitting steam to pass from one chamber to the other, as will be hereinafterdescribed.

On the lower side of the cylindrical shell or casing 2 is arranged a wall 31, which, together with the lower wall of said casing, forms a crescent-shaped space 32, similar to the space 25 on the upper side of the casing. The space 32 is divided by partitions into compartments 33, which are arranged below and communicate, through ports 34, with the piston-chambers 10, with which the ports 29 and 30 communicate at the upper side of the cylinder, and which alternate with the chambers that communicate, through the ports 27, with the compartments 26 on the upper side of the casmg.

From each end of the compartments 33 extend rearwardly and upwardly disposed passages 35 and 35', which communicate with ports 36 and 37, formed in each side of the casing 2 near the lower side of the same. Said ports open into the chambers 10 of the piston, which alternate with or lie between the chame bers with which the ports 34 communicate,

thereby permitting steam to pass from one chamber to the other at the lower side of the piston.

'By this arrangement of passages and ports steam is conducted from one chamber to the other at opposite points on the upper and lower sides o't' the cylinder until the last compartment 33 at the discharge end of the turbine is reached, when the steam will be exhausted through an exhaust-pipe 38, which communicates with said compartment 33 through an exhaust-port 39, as shown.

In order that. the steam may be directed from the compartments 26 and 33 into one side or the other of the chambers 10 to run the engine in one direction or the other, I provide gates or valves 40 in each of said compartments 26 and 33, said gates consisting of horiZontally-disposed plates tixedly mounted on longitudinally-disposed shafts 41 and 42, which pass through the walls or partitions of the compartments 26 and 33 and through the end walls of the spaces 25 on the upper and lower sides of the casing 2.

On the rear ends of' the shafts 41 and 42'are lixed short crank-arms 43, the outer ends of which are connected by an arm or bar 44. To said arm or bar is pivotally connected the short arm 45 of a bell-crank lever 46, which is pivotally mounted on the shaft 4. The long arm 47 of said lever projects upwardly and is provided with a handle whereby the same may be rocked, thereby turning the shafts 41 and 42 and tilting the valves or gates to direct the steam in one direction or the other to accord with the direction in which the engine is moving. When the engine is reversed, the valves are turned to direct the steam in the opposite direction, as will be understood.

In operation, assuming the valve to be turned as shown in Fig. 2, steam will enter the passage 20 and strike the blades or wings in the first chamber or compartment 10, thereby turning the cylinder, and as each pocket or space between the blades or wings passes the end of the passage 20 the same will become filled with live steam, which will be confined in said space by the inner wall of the casing and carried around by the revolving cylinder until the lirst port 34 at the lower side or' the casing is reached, when the steam in said space will be discharged into the compartment or chamber 33 below said port, and from thence directed through one or the other of the passages 35 or 35', from which it will strike or expand against the blades or wings in the next compartment 10 and' enter the pockets between the same and be carried round until the port 27 of the compartment 26 at the top ol' the casing is reached, at which point the steam will be discharged through one of the passages 28 or 28/ and through the same into the next chamber 10 to exert its force against the wings or blades this compartment and be carried around between the same in the manner described. The steam will thus be conducted to the several chambers or compartments, exerting its power at each passage between the same until the exhaust-port in the last compartment is reached, when the steam will be exhausted. i

It will be understood that each successive pocket or space full of steam will undergo the same discharging' process from one chamber to the other, thereby repeatedly utilizing the pressure or force of the steam until the same is linally exhausted.

In order to drive the engine in an opposite direction, it is simply necessary to turn the valve 17 to direct the steam` through the passage 21 onto the opposite side of the piston and tol set the valves or gates 40 in the proper position.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,

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the construction and operation of the invention will be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may he resorted to without departing from the principle or sacriiicing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, ish

l. In an engine of the class described, the combination with ashell or casing of a piston rotatably'mounted therein, a series of annular chambers arranged on said piston between the same and said casing, passages formed in said casing between said chambers at alternately opposite points, radially-disposed wings or blades arranged in said chamber to form steampocliets, means whereby steam is admitted to said pockets in one of said chambers and means whereby the steam in the pockets of one chamber is dischargedY against the blades of each successive chamber, substantially as described.

2. In an engine of -tlie class described, the combination with a shell or casing,of a shaft concentrically mounted therein, a pist'on secured to said shaft, annular iianges or ribs arranged at intervals along said cylinder to form annular chambers between said piston and said casing, radially-disposed wings or blades arranged between said flanges and dividing said chambers into pockets, a steam-chest arranged at one end of said casing, a steam-inlet port and oppositely-disposed inlet-passages formed in said chest, a valve mounted in said chest and adapted to be turned to direct steam to either of said passages to engage 'either side of said piston whereby the same may be run in either direction, compartments formed on the opposite outer sides of said casing,

whereby the steam from the pockets of one of said annular piston-chambers lnay be conducted into and directed against the blades or wings oil the next adjoining chamber, and means for directing said steam into one side or the other of said chambers, substantially as described.

3. In an engine of the class described, the combination with a shell or casing, of a shaft concentrically mounted therein, a cylindrical piston iiXed on said shaft, annular flanges or ribs arranged at intervals along said cylinder to form annular chambers between said piston and said casing, radially-disposed Wings or blades arranged between said iianges and dividing said chambers into pockets, a steamchest arranged at one end of said casing, a steam-inlet port and oppositely-disposed inletpassages formed in said chest, a valve-mounted in said chest and adapted to be turned to direct steam to either of said passages to engage either side oi' said piston whereby the same may be run in either direction, compartments formed on the opposite outer sides of said casing, whereby the steam from the pockets of one of said annular piston-chambers may be conducted into and directed against the blades or wings of the next adjoining chamber, valves arranged in said compartments to direct steam into one side or the other of said chambers, and means whereby the valves in the compartments on the opposite side of said casing are simultaneously operated, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence, of two subscribing witnesses.

FREDERICK W. FLINT.

Witnesses:

JOHN W. LARsoN, HATTIE P. WHIPPLE. 

